BUREAU 0? ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

Hearings "before the Commit 
tee on Expenditures in the 
Bureau of Agriculture. 1913, 






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BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY 

HEARINGS 

BEFORE THE 

COMMITTEE ON EXPENDITURES IN THE 
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

RELATING TO THE 

BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY 



JANUARY 23, 1913 



PART 1 






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WASHINGTON 
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1913 



D. OF D. 
MAR 20 1913 



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BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY 



Committee on Expenditures in the 

Department of Agriculture, 

House of Representatives, 
Washington, D. C, January 23, 1913. 

The committee met at 10 o'clock a. m., Hon. Ralph W. Moss 
(chairman) presiding. 

Present: Hon. Ralph W. Moss (chairman) and Charles W. Sloan, 

STATEMENT OF DR. A. D. MELVIN, CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF 
ANIMAL INDUSTRY, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

Mr. Sloan. How long have you been Chief of the Bureau of Animal 
Industry ? 

Dr. Melvin. Since 1905. 

Mr. Sloan. And during that time have the investigations of your 
bureau been directed toward the discovery of a remedy for the disease 
commonly known as hog cholera ? 

Dr. Melvin. The serum treatment for hog cholera was discovered 
shortly before that time, during about the years 1903 and 1904. 

Mr. Sloan. Were you connected with the bureau at that time? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir; but as assistant chief of the bureau. 

Mr. Sloan. I will ask you to state, for the record, the approximate 
value of the swine products annually in the United States. I do not 
care whether you put it in the record right now, or whether you sup- 
ply it later. 

Dr. Melvin. From figures compiled last year we estimated that 
the money value of the swine, the annual product in swine, was 
about $700,000,000. 

Mr. Sloan. About how many swine are there in the country, or 
were there during last year? That is the year you are speaking 
about, I suppose? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes; this represents about the annual slaughter of 
swine. 

Mr. Sloan. About how many swine were there in the United States 
during the last year ? 

Dr. Melvin. Approximately 65,500,000. 

Mr. Sloan. About how many, or what percentage of those do 
you estimate, died of disease ? 

Dr. Melvin. The Bureau of Statistics of our department esti- 
mates that the average annual losses of hogs from disease is slightly 
in excess of 5 per cent. This bureau estimates that out of this loss 
probably not less than 90 per cent is produced by hog cholera, and 
we believe that the yearly loss in money is in the neighborhood of 
$18,000,000. There are, however, no exact statistics oh this sub- 
ject available. 

3 



4 BUREAtT OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

Mr. Sloan. Then the losses of hogs from cholera would be about 
-44 per cent annually, would they not? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

Mr. Sloan. That is, 90 per cent of 5 per cent? 

Dr. Melvin. Of course that varies in different years; sometimes 
that loss might be considerably in excess of that. 

Mr. Sloan. Have you compiled a statement, or can you com- 
pile a brief statement showing the approximate losses from hog 
cholera for the last 25 years? 

Dr. Melvin. We have such a statement. 

Mr. Sloan. Will you give such a brief statement for the record? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. Do you wish a compilation of this, or do 
you wish me to just submit that as it is? 

Mr. Sloan. Just submit that as it is, if it is complete. 

Hogs and hog cholera, 10-year period, 1903-1912. 

Average annual number of hogs in United States 53, 700, 000 

Average total losses by disease per cent. . 5. 1 

Estimated average losses by hog cholera do 4. 5 

Average annual loss by hog cholera number. . 2, 417, 000 

Average annual farm value per hog $7. 36 

Average total loss from hog cholera $17, 789, 1 20 

Estimate of losses from hog cholera for the year ending Mar. 31, 1912. 
[Based on data compiled by Bureau of Statistics, Department of Agriculture.] 



State. 



Maine 

New Hampshire 

Vermont 

Massachusetts . . . 

Rhode Island 

Connecticut 

New York 

New Jersey 

Pennsylvania . . . 

Delaware 

Maryland 

Virginia 

West Virginia . . . 
North Carolina . . 
South Carolina . . 

Georgia 

Florida 

Ohio 

Indiana 

Illinois 

Michigan 

Wisconsin 

Minnesota 

Iowa 

Missouri 

North Dakota. . . 
South Dakota. . . 

Nebraska 

Kansas 

Kentucky 

Tennessee 

Alabama 

Mississippi 

Louisiana 

Texas 

Oklahoma 

Arkansas 

Montana 

Wyoming 



Number hogs 
estimated in 
State Jan. 1, 
• 1912. 



101, 000 
53,000 
111,000 
117.000 
16. 000 
CO, 000 
777, 000 
1 bo, 000 
141,000 
59.000 
345.000 
880. 000 
363,000 
405,000 
797,000 
098, 000 
954, 000 
578 000 
031,000 
640, 000 
382, 000 
051,000 
702, 000 
689, 000 
491,000 
359, 000 
104, 000 
267, 000 
808, 000 
724, 000 
574, 000 
533, 000 
577, 000 
642, 000 
544, 000 
410, 000 
738, 000 
143.000 
43,000 



Number of 
hogs lost by 
hog cholera. 



1.363 

954 

3.996 

3,685 

259 

2.592 

20, 279 

5,940 

37, 995 

4,048 

23, 284 

31,680 

13,394 

55,638 

43,038 

169, 938 

85,860 

225 414 

453,487 

897, 840 

49, 752 

51, 686 

47.440 

697, 708 

646, 704 

4,846 

37, 756 

230,418 

333, 590 

108, 612 

99. 162 

89, 680 

106, 447 

147, 780 

77, 846 

184, 005 

218. 988 

2.445 

464 



Per- 
centage 
lost due 
to hog 
cholera . 



1.35 
1.80 



60 

15 

,61 

.32 

61 

CO 

33 

74 

6.74 

3.60 

3.69 

3.96 

5.40 

8.06 

9.00 

6.30 

11.25 

20.35 

3.60 

2.52 

2.70 

7.20 

14.40 

1.35 

3.42 

5.40 

11.88 

6.30 

6.30 

5.85 

6.75 

9.00 

3.06 

13.05 

12. 60 

1.70 

1.0S 



Total value 
hogs in State 
Jan. 1, 1912. 



$1,162,000 

556,000 

1, 110, 000 

1,322.000 

192, 000 

696, 000 

7,925.000 

1, 864. 000 

11,410,000 

425,000 

2, 760, 000 

5.544.000 

2,432.000 

10,397.000 

6. 376, 000 

14.057.000 

4,961,000 

29 340 000 

31,039,000 

40, 832. 000 

11,747.000 

19. C90, 000 

17.701,000 

94. 952. 000 

31,437,000 

3. 770. 000 

9, 826, 000 

37,550,000 

22, 183. 000 

9,310.000 

9,601.000 

9, 964. 000 

10. 250. 000 

9, 524. 000 

16,027.000 

7,755.000 

9.3S5.0O0 

1.416.000 

370,000 



Value of 
hogs lost by 
hog cholera. 



S15.700 

10,000 

40,000 

45.000 

3.100 

30. 700 

20b. 900 

67, 100 

380, 000 

29.200 

186. 300 

199. 600 

89, 600 

401.700 

344. 300 

1,138.600 

446 500 

1,848 400 

3,491.900 

7,901,000 

422. 800 

496. 200 

493.400 

6. 837. COO 

4,527,000 

50.900 

336.000 

2. 027. 700 

2.C35.300 

586, 500 

1 04. 900 

583. 000 

692. 000 

S57.100 

4S5.500 

1,012,000 

1,182,500 

24. 200 

3.900 



BUKEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 5 

Estimate of losses from hog cholera for the year ending Mar. 31, 1912 — Continued. 



State. 



Colorado 

New Mexico 

Arizona 

Utah 

Nevada 

Idaho 

Washington 

Oregon 

California 

United States 



Number hogs 

estimated in 

State Jan. 1, 

1912. 



211,000 

50,000 

22,000 

79, 000 

30, 000 

212, 000 

246, 000 

258, 000 

830, 000 



65,410,000 





Per- 


Number of 


centage 


hogs lost by 


lost due 


hog cholera. 


to hog 




cholera . 


3,798 


1.80 


720 


1.44 


237 


1.08 


1,137 


1.44 


648 


2.16 


2,671 


1.25 


4,870 


1.98 


3,715 


1.40 


18, 675 


2.25 


5,251,010 


8.02 



Total value 
hogs in State 
Jan. 1. 1912. 



$1,688,000 

410, 000 

231,000 

711,000 

315,000 

1,696,000 

2, 337, 000 

2, 193, 000 

6, 889, 000 



523, 328, 000 



Value of 
hogs lost by 
hog cholera. 



$30, 400 

5,900 

2,500 

10, 200 

6,800 

21,300 

46, 200 

31,500 

155,000 



42,042,900 



BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



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8 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

Mr. Sloan. What other disease, if any there is, afflicting any of 
the valuable farm animals that anywhere nearly compares in amount 
with the loss suffered through hog cholera? 

Dr. Melvin. There are two iliseases which cause tremendous loss. 
Of course the exact loss is very roughly estimated. The loss through 
the tick fever has been variously estimated at from $25,000,000 to 
$40,000,000 a year. The loss on account of tuberculosis in cattle 
has been estimated at over $10,000,000 a year, and there would be 
a considerable proportion of loss among swine on account of tubercu- 
losis. That would run into the millions of dollars. I am not pre- 
pared to say just how much, though. 

Mr. Sloan. Then there is only one disease afflicting the farm 
animals that exceeds in amount of loss to the animal raiser that 
caused bv cholera — that is the Texas tick fever; is that what you 
call it? 

Mr. Melvin. The indirect loss due to tuberculosis is very great. 
It is harder to estimate the loss from tuberculosis because of its 
insidious nature; it is not as rapidly fatal as hog cholera. 

Mr. Sloan. And not so well understood? 

Dr. Melvin. And not so well understood, but the losses in tick 
fever are comparatively easily arrived at, and those three diseases, 
I should say, cause the great proportion of the losses to the live stock 
in the country. 

The Chairman. On that point, in estimating a loss that comes 
from the tick fever, are you taking into account actually the loss 
that occurs, or constructive losses; I mean to say, the retardment 
of the improvement of the breed, and the expansion of it, etc. ? 

Dr. Melvin. All those factors we have estimated in computing the 
loss on account of tick fever. The direct loss by death alone, of 
course, is not nearly so great as that. 

The Chairman. That was my impression. What would you say 
would be the probable extent of the direct death losses, due to the 
southern tick fever ? 

Dr. Melvin. Probably not more than 15 or 20 per cent of that 
amount. 

The Chairman. So that one of the great purposes and one of the 
great advantages of the eradication of the tick fever is to make 
possible the expansion of the cattle industry in the South and the 
improvement of the grade of cattle, is it not ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. There is a great loss, too, which extends 
somewhat beyond that, namely, that arising from the restricted 
facilities in marketing such cattle and in the loss in hides through the 
damage made by ticks, but all those factors have entered into the 
estimates. 

Mr. Sloan. Your statement of $18,000,000 for the loss caused by 
hog cholera was actual death loss, was it not ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes. 

Mr. Sloan. And in that estimate you did not include the general, 
incidental loss to the business suffered by deterring the breeder from 
going on with his work, or loss incident to the dissemination of his 
work outside of the actual death loss; you did not take that into 
account at all, did you ? 

Dr. Melvin. No, sir. 



BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 9 

The Chairman. Dr. Craig, of the Indiana agricultural department, 
made a statement to me that in certain portions of Indiana, under 
present conditions, men could not grow hogs profitably, and he had 
advised them not to grow hogs on account of the ravages of the 
cholera. Do you know of any other section of the country where 
that statement might be said to obtain ? 

Dr. Melvin. No; I can not name any section now, but I have no 
doubt that there are quite a good many such sections. 

The Chairman. It is also true, is it not, that under present con- 
ditions hogs, in a great many sections, have to be kept in smaller 
herds than otherwise they would be if there was no danger of cholera ? 

Dr. Melvin. Decidedly so; yes, sir. 

Mr. Sloan. What, if any, stringent provisions are there in the 
present law relative to the control of the shipment of cholera-infected 
hogs in interstate commerce ? 

Dr. Melvin. There is a general law of 1884 that prohibits the 
interstate shipment of any live stock affected with any contagious, 
infectious, or communicable disease, and that applies equally to hog 
cholera. 

Mr. Sloan. But there is none relating especially to hog cholera, 
is there ? 

Dr. Melvin. No; but, of course, hog cholera would be included 
in that list. 

Mr. Sloan. Do you know to what extent that is observed and 
enforced with reference to cholera ? Have you anything to sav 
particularly on that point ? 

Dr. Melvin. Well, I do not believe it is very well observed by 
owners of hogs. It is the usual custom, when cholera develops in a 
herd, for the owner to try to market them as early as possible so as to 
avoid losing his entire herd. We, however, where we have evidence 
presented or can obtain evidence that these interstate shipments have 
been knowingly made, bring prosecution for violation of the statute. 

Mr. Sloan. Is this disease readily communicable from one animal 
to the other direct, and also through leaving the germs in freight 
cars, live-stock cars, and other methods ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes; it is a very highly contagious disease and is com- 
municated in both ways. 

Mr. Sloan. Just state, Doctor, from your knowledge of the man- 
ner of shipment of hogs, how it may be carried short or great dis- 
tances. 

Dr. Melvin. In many outbreaks of cholera the disease is subacute, 
and in this form an owner could ship his apparently well hogs from 
some western State to a live-stock center, such as Chicago, and with- 
out the disease having been developed sufficiently at the time of their 
arrival at Chicago to cause suspicion. These hogs might then be 
bought, and frequently are bought for shipment to eastern markets, 
such as Buffalo, New York, or points in Massachusetts. Under the 
provisions of the 28-hour law these hogs would either have to be fed, 
watered, and rested in the cars or unloaded in stock yards en route for 
feed, water, and rest. In the latter case, we would be very apt< to 
have several centers of infection established at these unloading yards 
between Chicago and this eastern point. Following this it would be 
quite a common matter for some farmer or stockraiser in one of these 
intermediate States, to bring in some stock hogs, unload them in these 



10 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

infected pens and distribute them among his neighbors, and thus have 
a number of centers of infection established. This same thing would 
apply to hogs which might be shipped out of a State through one of 
these inf ected raih oad yards. On account of the prevalence of cholera 
the department does not now permit the shipping out from any of 
the large stock-yard centers of hogs for breeding or feeding purposes, 
because these yards are considered as being constantly infected 
with cholera. 

Mr. Sloan. Doctor, the department has developed a serum. You 
may state briefly as to its production, efficacy, and what the depart- 
ment has done toward distributing it and demonstrating its efficacy ? 

Dr. Melvin. We have a small rented farm situated near Ames, 
Iowa, where we produce each year a limited amount of serum, and at 
this farm we also conduct further research work looking to some 
cheaper method of production and studying the disease in its various 
phases, also testing various serums now on the market. In 1908 
we invited representatives of all the States to attend a demonstration 
at this Ames farm to observe our methods of its production and use. 
Some 23 States were represented during the three meetings we held 
that year. This was with a view to encourage the States to take up the 
work and supply the hog raisers of their States with the serum. 
Previously, and since then, we have made demonstrations in different 
sections of the country to show its efficacy. We tried to distribute 
this work as widely as possible in order to call it to the attention of 
a large number of people. We have met with almost universal suc- 
cess in arresting the disease, but it has never been a cure, and is 
not a cure, but is a preventive. 

The Chairman. Did I understand you to say this serum is not a 
cure of hog cholera ? 

Dr. Melvin. No, sir; we have not considered it as such. It is 
possible, if used in the very earliest stages of the disease, that it might 
cure, but we do not look upon it as a cure. 

The Chairman. Right at that point will }^ou state what activities 
are going on in the department at the present time to discover a cure 
for hog cholera? 

Dr. Melvin. We have issued circulars at different times suggesting 
various remedies or formulae that might be used looking to the cure 
of cholera, but the disease is of such a nature that we have looked 
upon any medical treatment as of very little value. Usually the dis- 
ease progresses so rapidly that medicines can not have time to oper- 
ate, and we feel that the only success which will be attained is in 
preventing the balance of the infected herd from becoming sick, or 
treating them with serum in the first instance and preventing the 
sickness entering the herd at all. 

The Chairman. As a matter of fact, a few years ago the depart- 
ment submitted to the hog growers of the country a certain receipt 
or compound of medicines as a cholera cure, did }'ou not ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes. 

The Chairman. That was before serum was discovered, was it not ] 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. And you rested the reputation of the department 
at that time upon this remedy you submitted to the country, did vou 
not? 



BUKEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. IX 

Dr. Melvin. We did not look upon it as an absolute cure. It was 
the best we thought we could suggest at that time. 

The Chairman. At that time it represented the sum of the best 
knowledge the Department of Agriculture had, and I say you rested 
your reputation upon that, did you not? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes. 

The Chairman. Did you carry that investigation any further since 
the compounding of that prescription ? 

Dr. Melvin. I think the formulae has been changed in some respects 
since it was originally issued. 

The Chairman. Have you carried on actively the work of testing 
and changing it from the time you published it generally over the 
country until the present time, Doctor ? 

Dr. Melvin. I think the last change in the formula was about 
three or four years ago. 

The Chairman. How much money in your department has been 
devoted to that particular phase of the work, of testing that formula 
or other formulae of that kind, perfecting it as a medicinal cure of hog 
cholera, since the publication of that paper ? 

Dr. Melvin. It would be very small, the amount we have spent 
would be very small, comparatively speaking. 

The Chairman. As a matter of fact did you not practically cease 
such active operations after you published that remedy? 

Dr. Melvin. I do not think we have carried on any experimenta- 
tion since then with reference to a cure. 

The Chairman. Then you took up the quesiton of serum, did you ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. Has that generally been advertised by the Depart- 
ment of Agriculture as a preventive and not a cure ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir; as a preventive. 

The Chairman. Then you wish to give the committee to under- 
stand that for a series of years you have not been attempting to dis- 
cover and perfect a cure of hog cholera ? 

Dr. Melvin. We simply have not been able to get any new thought 
on the subject of a cure. I should not like the committee to think we 
have not given it any thought, because we have, but we have been 
absolutely at sea as to what to recommend further than what has 
been recommended. 

The Chairman. I beg your pardon, but you did not quite compre- 
hend my question. My inquiry was not as to the results, but as to 
the efforts. How much money are you spending each year, and how 
much have you been spending devoted to the finding of a cure for hog 
cholera, and what experiments have you conducted ? 

Dr. Melvin. Practically no money has been expended along that 
line. 

The Chairman. Have you detailed any expert to make a continued 
study and experimentation looking toward the development of a cure 
of hog cholera ? 

Dr. Melvin. No, sir. 

The Chairman. Have you submitted to the Committee on Agri- 
culture at any time an estimate asking for money to carry on original 
research work looking to the perfecting of a cure of hog choleia ? 

Dr. Melvin. Not specifically. The funds, though, would be avail- 
able under the appropriation for diseases of animals. 



12 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

The Chairman. Have you sufficient authority ander the present 
terms of your appropriation bill to take up and carry on the work of 
discovering a cure for hog choleia? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. And have you had sufficient funds so that you 
could carry it on, if you cared to do so ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes; I think we could have found the funds if we 
had known in what direction to spend them. 

The Chairman. Then what is the ^eal reason the work has not 
been attempted ? 

Dr. Melvin. Because we had no idea of what might be used 
beyond what we had already prescribed as remedies. 

The Chairman. I made a visit to Mount Weather, in Virginia, and 
I saw Prof. Moore flying kites in the air, at a pretty heavy expense. 
When I asked him what purpose he had in view, he said he did not 
know; that there was so little known about the weather that there 
were not sure what they could find out by flying these kites, but so 
long as there was so much not known about the weather he felt per- 
fectly justified in keeping ap this activity in his department. I 
should like to ask you whether you feel the same way— that so long 
as there is so much not known about hog cholera, and it is of so great 
importance to agriculture, if you do not feel justified in keeping up 
your activity along that line ? 

Dr. Melvin. The two propositions, Mr. Chairman, are very differ- 
ent. We must have some new thought to pursue to investigate, 
and we have tried in the past various remedies and are in the dark 
as to any new treatment that we might adopt; then, again, in treat- 
ing hogs for cholera as compared to flying kites, there would be a 
great difference, as it would be a constant, heavy expense. Sick 
hogs, as a rule, die of cholera in a very short time, and it would be 
a rather difficult matter to continue indefinitelv along? that line, 
except at a tremendous expense. 

The Chairman. You say that in times past you tried new remedies 
for hog cholera. How many years would you have to go back 
before you reach the limit of that term, "in times past," when you 
tried new remedies for hog cholera ? 

Dr. Melvin. Probably four or five years. 

The Chairman. Practically since the publication of this Govern- 
ment receipt, is it not, Doctor ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes. 

The Chairman. That has been more than four or five years past, 
has it not ? 

Dr. Melvin. It is about four or five years, I think, since it was 
last revised. That is the date I had in mind. 

The Chairman. At the time you last revised it, was it then a cure 
for hog cholera ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. Would it cure hog cholera, do you mean to say. 
when you last revised it ? 

Dr. Melvin. We would not guarantee it to cure, of course, but it 
was the formula we thought would be the most effective in treating 
hog cholera. 

The Chairman. At that time you knew it would not cure hog 
cholera, did you not ? 



BUEEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 13 

Dr. Melvin. We knew it would not in all cases, yes, sir. 

The Chairman. The point I wish to know and get before the 
committee, and it is not in a critical vein, but we want to get the 
actual facts about it. When was it your department quit the search 
for a cure for hog cholera ? That is the point I wish to know. 

Dr. Melvin. We practically quit the study of medical treatment 
when we discovered a preventive treatment. The whole line of med- 
ical thought nowadays is looking toward the prevention of disease, 
rather than the cure, and I presume that the money that is expended 
in human medicine is in the proportion of 100 to 1 in favor of preven- 
tive treatment rather than curative treatment. 

The Chairman. Let us admit that fact, but we should still like to 
fix the date when you quit, practically, the study to the end of 
attempting to find a cure for hog cholera. 

Dr. Melvin. I would say about five or six years ago. 

Mr. Sloan. Just in that connection, right there, have there, for a 
few years prior thereto, been any practical advances made by any- 
body in the world that seemed to promise an effective remedy for the 
disease, when once contracted? 

Dr. Melvin. I think not, notwithstanding the claims of manu- 
facturers of various proprietary substances and fake remedies. 

Mr. Sloan. You spoke about the demonstrations of this serum. 
About how many demonstrations did you make showing the manner 
of application and also demonstrating the efficacy of the serum 
treatment ? 

Dr. Melvin. We gave two public demonstrations; one in the Kan- 
sas City stockyards during the year 1910, and later in the next year 
we gave a demonstration in the South Omaha stockyards. We have 
made a great many demonstrations in connection with State officials 
and private individuals on farms where we thought it was advisable 
to conduct the work. 

Mr. Sloan. To what extent were these demonstrations made; 
that is, what I want to arrive at is to show how much has been done 
to get this home to the swine breeders and owners ? 

Dr. Melvin. In Kansas City our demonstration involved work 
requiring 35 young shoats. In Omaha about 30 pigs were used. 
These were the most important ones that we conducted and the only 
public ones. 

Mr. Sloan. Had you sent men from the department or from. the 
bureau to distant parts of the country to swine breeders' gatherings 
or associations to make demonstrations for the purpose of familiar- 
izing the swine owners with the method of application and the efficacy 
of the preventive ? 

Dr. Melvin. We have not made any demonstrations at such gath- 
erings. We have had employees to go and address the meetings with 
reference to its use. We have also, for this same purpose of demon- 
strating its efficiency for the last three or four years, treated the hogs 
which were exhibited at the International Livestock Exhibit, at 
Chicago, and during the last summer, I think, this was done at several 
State and other prominent fairs in the different States. This, of 
course, is one of the many means of disseminating hog cholera through 
the sending out from these fairs to various farmers these stock hogs, 
which may become infected at these fairs, and if this could be taken 
up generally by the States and by the General Government it would 



14 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

no doubt result in lessening these outbreaks. As a matter of fact, 
during the year 1911 there was one herd of hogs which arrived 
at the International Stock Show in Chicago affected with cholera, 
and several of them died. The balance of the herd were treated with 
serum and saved, and there were no outbreaks among the other 
hundreds of hogs which had also been treated and were on exhibition 
there. 

Mr. Sloan. You say the balance were saved through this serum 
treatment then administered ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir; before they had contracted the disease. 

Mr. Sloan. What, if any, appropriation is there that could be used 
in extending and increasing these demonstrations? Is there any 
such fund as that ? 

Dr. Melvin. There is a fund, but the estimates as submitted to the 
committee were only sufficient to provide for work which we now have 
on hand and not for increasing this demonstration work. We would 
not be able to conduct or increase this demonstration work without 
a considerable increase in those funds. 

Mr. Sloan. If an increase in appropriations should be made, is your 
bureau so organized that it has or could have available competent 
men who could be sent to different points in the several States to 
make these demonstrations ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

Mr. Sloan. If such funds were provided and such competent per- 
sons sent, in your opinion would it be wisely spent money looking 
toward the reduction of this very large annual loss which you have 
recited to the committee ? 

Dr. Melvin. I think undoubtedly it would. I think that if we were 
provided with funds, so we go into several States and take up a con- 
siderable section, involving three or four counties in a block, and 
there demonstrate that losses from cholera need not necessarily exist, 
that it would be of immense value to the country. I think we could 
demonstrate to the States that by careful organization and the use 
of an efficient serum that the cholera could be reduced to a minimum 
and probably eventually eradicated. 

Mr. Sloan. You speak about efficient serum. Is there any ineffi- 
cient serum; and if so, how does it arise and how does it become so ? 

Dr. Melvin. There are inefficient serums, as we have been able to 
demonstrate by experimentation made at our Ames farm. These 
Were prepared by private manufacturers. It is possible, unless close 
observation is constantly had of the method of manufacture, that 
serum which has a low protecting value may be prepared. All serum 
does not have the same protective value, and unless these serums are 
tested before they are sent out the manufacturer may think he is 
sending out efficient serum when, in fact, it is one that under ordinary 
conditions would not protect. All these things have to be carefully 
guarded in order to know just how efficient the serum is before it is 
sent out and in what doses it should be given. We find that all serum 
can not be used under the same dosage. 

Mr. Sloan. For the ensuing year, what reasonable amount of 
funds might prudently and effectively be used along the lines you 
suggest % 

Dr. Melvin. Of course, in demonstration work of this character 
the committee would consider that estimates that we made might 



BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 15 

materially be decreased later, as when the methods were put into 
practical operation by States, and we would have to, in making any 
estimates, figure on the maximum expenses rather than on the 
minimum expenses, because we would not care to undertake an 
experiment of this sort without being able to put it through success- 
fully. I think that in taking a block of counties of, say, four in a 
State, considering the maximum number of men that we would 
require and the maximum amount of serum that we would require, 
and all that, it would be an item of probably $15,000 for that block 
of counties. Now, of course, the number of sections that we would 
take up would be increased in proportion. 

The Chairman. Just on that point let me ask you one or two 
questions, please. I have understood from your general statement 
that hog cholera is a very difficult disease to handle ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. And, of all the infectious diseases, probably one of 
the most difficult? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir; it is probably the most highly infectious. 

The Chairman. As compared, for instance, with blackleg in cattle, 
it is a much more difficult disease, is it not, to vaccinate and give 
complete protection ? 

Dr. Melvin. Much more so, yes, sir. 

The Chairman. Do you consider that at the present time that 
the knowledge of serum, its proper manufacture and the proper 
manner to use it, so as to insure the highest state of protection, is 
so well understood that the serum in private hands, or even in a 
great many instances in State hands, is manufactured properly and 
applied properly to the farmer's herd ? 

Dr. Melvin. I think there are many instances where it has been 
improperly used, but I think these difficulties can be overcome if 
the department could oversee these methods of preparation along 
the lines of supervision, such* as the Public Health Service now 
exercises over manufacturers of diphtheria antitoxin and similar 
substances for human use. 

The Chairman. Do you believe that serum properly manufactured 
and properly applied is a preventative of hog cholera? 

Dr. Melvin. Absolutely so. 

The Chairman. Do you believe that ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. Then, if in fact hogs have been vaccinated and 
have died from cholera, what is the reason? 

Dr. Melvin. There might be several specific reasons why this 
treatment failed to protect, but undoubtedly there was some failure 
in the proper technique in its manufacture or application; either the 
serum was produced from hyperimmune hogs that were not as thor- 
oughly immunized as they should have been, or the serum was 
used in too small doses. 

The Chairman. How long has it been since the serum was given 
to the world ? 

Dr. Melvin. I think it was patented in 1906. 

The Chairman. To what extent have the losses from cholera 
in the United States been lessened since it has been given to the 
world ? 



16 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

Dr. Melvin. I do not think very materially. It has been claimed 
that in some sections the disease has been increased through the 
distribution of impotent serum used in connection with virulent 
vaccine virus. 

The Chairman. We have had a remedy against hog cholera — a 
preventative, I mean, for six years, but in practice it has not reduced 
the ravages of the disease among the herds in the United States, 
practically speaking. Is that the case ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes. 

The Chairman. If that is true, is it not patent that there lies 
the very best field possible for demonstration work on the part of 
the United States Government ! 

Dr. Melvin. I think so. 

The Chairman. That is the pjoint I wish to get at. I am going to 
ask you whether during these six years it has been the custom of your 
department to send your experts to centers of hog cholera infection 
to take up the work and to show that those losses can be avoided, 
and to stop the ravages of the disease. Have you done that ? 

Dr. Melvin. Only to a very limited extent, because we did not 
have sufficient means to do it generally. 

The Chairman. I am not speaking of the causes. I simply ask 
whether you did it or not. 

Dr. Melvin. No, sir; only to a limited extend. 

The Chairman. It is a matter of common knowledge that hog 
cholera does come by outbreaks, is it not? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. And some of them are very much more severe 
than others ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. And sometimes the hog cholera proves very much 
more fatal than at other times, does it not? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. During these six years, then, you have not sent 
your department workers to demonstrate the efficacy of the treat- 
ment where this disease was ravaging ? 

Dr. Melvin. Not generally; no, sir. We have in a few cases. 

The Chairman. I will as£ you to put in the record precisely the 
instances where you did do it in the last six years. Please furnish 
specific incidents of those six years where you have sent the agents 
of your department to centers of hog cholera infection and demon- 
strated your work. 

United States Department of Agriculture, 

Bureau of Animal Industry, 

Washington, D. C, January 24, 1913. 

partial summary of results obtained from application of bureau of animal 
industry's antihog-cholera serum. 

[All animals were kept under ordinary farm conditions.] 

October 19, 1908 (Michigan): Infected herd. When visited one hog had died. 
7 were sick, and 21 apparently well. Treated, 23 (3 of which were sick). Untreated. 5. 

Results: Treated, survived, 22 or approximately 96 per cent; untreated, survived, 
none. 

October 20, 1908 (Michigan): Herd slightly infected. Treated, 11; untreated. 4. 

Results: Treated, all remained well; untreated, all died. 

July 15, 1909 (Maryland): Experiment. Owner had lost nearly all of his herd. 
He bought 11 pigs and agreed to have some of these treated by the serum simultaneous 



BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 17 

method and others inoculated with virus alone to serve as checks. Treated, 7; virus 
alone, 3. 

Results: All treated animals remained well; all virus-alone animals died. 

August 25, 1909 (Virginia): Data incomplete on account of remoteness of the herd, 
but reported that all treated animals remained well, while all untreated ones died. 

September 15, 1909 (Virginia): Data incomplete. All treated animals remained 
well; all untreated animals died. 

December 6, 1909 (Virginia Agricultural Experimental Station;: Herd infected. 
Treated 43, many of which were sick; untreated, none. 

Results: Survived, 29 or approximately 68 per cent; died, 14 or approximately 
32 per cent. 

December 21-22, 1909 (Virginia) : Herd very badly infected. About 35 animals had 
died, and practically all of the survivors were showing symptoms of hog cholera to a 
greater or less degree. Treated, 113, many of which were sick; untreated, 179. 

Results: Treated, survived, 79, or approximately 69.91 per cent; treated, died, 34, 
or approximately 30 per cent; untreated, survived, 111, or approximately 62 per cent; 
untreated, died, 68, or approximately 38 per cent. 

This data is incomplete, as at last report some of the untreated animals were said 
to have been "looking badly." 

February 18, 1910 (West Virginia Hospital for Insane): Herd infected. Treated, 
47 (many of which showed early symptoms of disease); untreated, 52. 

Results: Treated, survived, 36, or approximately 76 per cent; treated, died, 11, or 
approximately 24 per cent; untreated, died,_52, or 100 per cent. 

April 16, 1910 (Maryland): Disease just beginning. Treated, 34; untreated, 16. 

Results: Final report stated that all treated animals remained well. No. mention 
was made as to the untreated ones. 

April 16, 1910 (second herd, Maryland): Data incomplete; no detailed final report. 
Only the general statement received that all treated animals remained well. 

July 9, 1910 (Iowa): Owner had lost the greater portion of his herd and had pro- 
cured 14 pigs from one of his neighbors for this experiment. The simultaneous method 
was employed. Treated by, 11; virus alone, 3. 

Results: Treated, survived, 8, or approximately 73 per cent; treated, died, 3, or 
approximately 27 per cent. All virus alone animals died. 

July 21, 1910 (Nebraska): Infected herd. Data incomplete. The final report was 
to the effect that nearly all treated animals survived. No statement as to the un- 
treated ones. 

November 12, 1910 (Washington, D. C, jail): Herd badly infected. Treated, 18; 
untreated, exact number not known. 

Results: Treated, survived, 14, or approximately 78 per cent; treated, died, 4, or 
approximately 22 per cent.; untreated, no exact data. Received only the statement 
that all untreated animals died . 

December 2, 1910 (Maryland): Disease just beginning; 4 animals had died. 
Treated, 82; untreated, 34. 

Results: Treated, survived, 73, or approximately 90 per cent; treated, died, 9, or 
approximately 10 per cent. 

(The report on the untreated hogs is incomplete, but as near as could be determined 
73 per cent died and 27 per cent survived.) 

March 3, 1911 (Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station): Herd slightly infected. 
Treated, 42 (3 of which showed the early symptoms of hog cholera); untreated, 0. 

Results: Treated, survived, 41, or approximately 98 per cent; treated, died, 1, or 
approximately 2 per cent. (This animal was one of those which were sick when 
treated.) 

March 16, 1911 (Virginia): Herd badly infected. Treated, 24; untreated, 9. 

Results: Treated, survived, 18, or 75 per cent; treated, died, 6, or 25 per cent; 
untreated, died, 9, or 100 per cent. 

December 20, 1911 (North Carolina): Herd not infected. Treated, 4; untreated, 0. 

Results: All animals remained well. 

December 8, 1911 (Virginia): Herd infected. Treated, 8; untreated, 4. 

Results: Treated, survived, 6, or 75 per cent; treated, died, 2, or 25 per cent; un- 
treated, survived, 1, or 25 per cent; untreated, died, 3, or 75 per cent. 

December — , 1911 (Maryland): Herd badly infected. Approximately 200 hogs 
had died. This herd is a very valuable one, being composed of pure-bred Duroc- 
Jerseys. Treated, 6; untreated, approximately 40. 

Results: All treated animals survived. No accurate figures given as to the un- 
treated animals, only the general statement was received that "a large number had 
died." 

75170— b a i— pt 1—13 2 



18 BUEEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

January 2, 1913 (Bureau of Animal Industry, Division of Animal Husbandry): 
Healthy herd, and was treated by the serum simultaneous method. Treated, 60; 
untreated, none. 

Results: All animals remained well. 

January 22, 1912 (Maryland) : Herd infected. One animal had died and 3 were sick. 
Treated. 5 (3 of which were sick when treated). Untreated, none. 

Results: Three, or 60 per cent of these animals died (sick when treated); 2, or 40 
per cent of these animals survived (well when treated). 

January 25, 1912 (Columbia Hospital for Deaf): Herd badly infected. Treated, 4. 
Number of untreated animals could not be ascertained. 

Results: All treated animals survived. Reliable data concerning the untreated 
ones could not be obtained. 

January 26, 1912 (Fort Hunt, Va,): Herd infected. Treated, 14; untreated, 18. 

Results: Treated — survived, 13 or approximately 93 per cent; died, 1 or approxi- 
mately 7 per cent. Untreated — survived, 8 or approximately 45 per cent; died, 10 
or approximately 55 per cent. 

February 27 and April 20, 1912 (Government Hospital for Insane, D. C): This herd 
was infected and kept under poor hygienic conditions. Treated, 120; untreated, 44. 

Results: Treated — survived, 118 or approximately 98 per cent; died, 2 or approxi- 
mately 2 per cent. Untreated — no exact figures could be ascertained concerning 
these hogs, but the asylum veterinarian placed it at approximately 90 per cent. 

November — , 1912 (Iowa Agricultural College). Disease just beginning. One or 
two hogs not eating well. Treated, 24; untreated, 3. 

Results: Treated, survived, 24; untreated, died, 3. 

December 14, 1912 (Virginia). Herd infected. Treated, 4; untreated, 4. 

Results: Treated, survived, 4, or 100 per cent; untreated, survived, 1, or 25 per 
cent; untreated, died, 3, or 75 per cent. 

July, 190S. Kansas City, Kans. Experiment. Thirty-five young shoats were pur- 
chased from a farm where hog cholera had not existed. These pigs, having been 
carried to the Kansas City stockyards, and being in charge of a committee appointed 
by the exchange, were treated as follows: Twenty-two were injected with anti-hog- 
cholera serum prepared by the bureau. Four were injected with virulent hog-cholera 
blood. Nine were not treated in any manner. All were placed in a pen together. 
As was expected, the 4 pigs inoculated with the virulent blood contracted hog cholera 
within a short time and all died. The 9 "checks'' contracted hog cholera from those 
which were inoculated with hog-cholera blood, and they also died. The 22 pigs 
treated with the serum remained well with the exception of one or two, which were 
slightly affected on one or two days. It is not certain, however, that the trouble with 
the treated hogs was hog cholera, as none died. All of the autopsies on the check 
animals showed typical lesions of hog cholera. 

August, 1910 (South Omaha, Nebr.): Experiment. This experiment was under- 
taken at the request of State officials and the Nebraska Swine Breeders' Association. 
The Union Stock Yards Co., of South Omaha, also offered to cooperate and to bear 
the expense incident to the purchase and care of hogs used in the experiment. Thirty 
pigs, weighing from 40 to 60 pounds, were purchased from a farm which had been 
free from hog cholera for several years. These hogs were carried to the stockyards 
and, on July 23, 1910, four of them were injected with blood from hogs sick of hog 
cholera. These injected pigs, which were placed in a pen by themselves, became 
sick on the 28th of July, at which time 18 of the remaining pigs were given one dose 
of the serum, while the other 8 pigs were not treated in any way. The 18 serum- 
treated pigs and the 8 untreated pigs were then placed in the same pen with the 4 
pigs which had been made sick of hog cholera. The four pigs which were inoculated 
with hog cholera all died. The eight untreated check pigs all contracted hog cholera 
from the four inoculated ones. The 18 pigs which were given serum and which were 
confined in the same pen with the 4 original sick pigs and with the 8 untreated pigs. 
which became sick, remained perfectly well and were finally turned over to the offi- 
cials of the stockyards companv upon the completion of the experiment on September 
17, 1910. 

In conclusion, the total number of hogs treated by both the serum-alone and the 
serum-simultaneous methods in the above demonstrations was 744. of which 613. or 
approximately 82 per cent, survived, while of the untreated hogs, which numbered 
362, 228, or approximately 65 per cent, died. The figures given showing the per- 
centage of the untreated animals which died are not absolutely correct in that in the 
case of two herds the report was to the effect that a large number of untreated hogs 
died, while in four herds it was reported that all untreated animals died. As we 
had no definite data as to the number of untreated animals in these herds, they were 
not considered in figuring the percentage. 



BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 19 




ber v, 

not immediately available 

furnished later. 

The Chairman. Coming now to the appropriation — and we had 
better take the last appropriation bill instead of the one that has just 
been reported. 

Dr. Melvin. They are just the same, Mr. Chairman. There has 
been no change in this particular item. 

The Chairman. It has been increased $20,000, has it not, Doctor? 

Dr. Melyin. Not in the funds for this work. 

The Chairman. On page 9 of the present bill for "General expenses, 
Bureau of Animal Industry." How much money was spent in the 
year 1913 under that item? 

Dr. Melyin. For this hog cholera work? 

The Chairman. No; how much was spent under the item "General 
expenses, Bureau of Animal Industry" ? 

Dr. Melyin. The total provided was $1,217,862. 

The Chairman. On page 11 there is an item of $620,000. What 
was that spent for ? 

Dr. Melvin. That was spent for inspection and quarantine; that 
includes our work in the eradication of scabies among cattle and 
sheep; our live stock import and export work; the maintenance of 
our quarantine stations, and what work we have done looking to the 
eradication and investigation of tuberculosis in cattle. 

The Chairman. Was any of this $620,000 available, in any degree 
whatever, in the treatment of hog cholera ? It is limited just to the 
work here enumerated, is it not ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. First, for inspection and quarantine work? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. And that includes scabies in sheep and cattle, 
does it ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. What are, or what is, "scabies" ? 

Dr. Melvin. Scabies is a contagious disease due to a parasite or 
a scab mite which affects cattle and there is another variety affecting- 
sheep, which it has been the endeavor of the department to eradicate 
for several years. 

The Chairman. In what section of the country are the -cattle 
infected with scabies found? 

Dr. Melvin. The section under quarantine on account of cattle 
scabies include portions of Montana, the two Dakotas, Nebraska, Colo- 
rado, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma. 

The Chairman. Is that an itch — is that the way you understand it ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir; that is the common name for it. 

The Chairman. Is it a fatal disease of cattle? 

Dr. Melvin. Not ordinarily. In old cattle, especially those that 
are thin and lacking in vigor, it is frequently fatal during the whiter 
months. Cattle on good feed and grass in the summer generally 
improve, even with the presence of the disease, but it is very detri- 
mental to the economical handling of live stock. 

The Chairman. If it were left to itself, would it spread all over the 
United States? 



20 BUEEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

Dr. Melvin. It probably would; yes, sir. 

The Chairman. Just what is your work under the question of 
the eradication of scabies in cattle — for instance, what does it con- 
sist of? ' 

Dr. Melvin. We have districts where this disease abounds under 
quarantine. Then we have inspectors under general instructions of 
a field station who inspect systematically the cattle in those vicinities 
and require their dipping and treatment so as to cure the disease. 
We also are required to inspect and certify to the clean live stock 
which go out of these quarantine districts, to any unquarantined sec- 
tion, to prevent its further spread. 

The Chairman. Do you mean to say you inspect the stock on the 
individual ranches and farms ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes. 

The Chairman. And at the market centers ? 

Dr. Melvin. We also maintain inspections at the market centers; 
yes, sir. 

The Chairman. Does the Government maintain dipping vats? 

Dr. Melvin. Ususally that is done by the owners under the direc- 
tion of the State officials; all of the work is done in cooperation with 
the State officers, and under their State laws, except that pertaining 
to interstate shipments, winch of course is strictly Federal work. 

The Chairman. Is the dip compounded by the Government or 
after your formula ? 

Dr. Melvin. After our formula; yes, sir; but by the individuals. 

The Chairman. Is this a work you expect to entirely end at some 
time, or will it be a continuing work ? 

Dr. Melvin. No; we expect in the course of the next few years to 
end it completely. 

The Chairman. What is meant by the inspection of southern 
cattle ? 

Mr. Melvin. That is inspection of cattle in the quarantined areas. 
That is, the areas quarantined on account of ticks, which are to go 
outside of that area into interstate commerce, and we are required to 
see that the cars are properly placarded and the billing marked and 
that separate pens are maintained for the tick} r cattle en route to 
market centers. The law provides that southern cattle may be 
shipped to market centers for slaughter; it exempts such cattle from 
the general provision of the law. 

The Chairman. How much money are you spending out of this 
appropriation for southern cattle ? 

Dr. Melvin. Roughly speaking, about $30,000 a year. 

The Chairman. The item of work relative to the existence of con- 
tagious diseases. What does that consist of, Doctor? 

Dr. Melvin. That is to cover any work we might have to do in the 
case of some unexpected outbreak of a contagious disease. We have 
had this past year, and the year before, an outbreak of dourine among 
horses in Montana and in Iowa, and that is a general law we have to 
cover any such instances that might arise. 

The Chairman. Then, if the foot-and-mouth disease were to break 
out, would it come under this ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes. 

The Chairman. If hog cholera were to break out, would it come 
under this ? 



BUBEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 21 

Dr. Melvin. It could come under there, although we have been 
spending for experimental work from a different fund. 

The Chairman. You have never, then, spent any money from this 
item here, "inspection work relative to the existence of contagious 
diseases;" you have never spent any money from this item upon hog 
cholera, have you ? 

Dr. Melvin. No, sir. 

The Chairman. Have you upon any of the common contagious 
diseases that are practically always present ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes; tuberculosis and glanders, and then during the 
last year we had quite an expense paid out of that fund investigat- 
ing a contagious disease that appeared among horses in Kansas, 
Nebraska, and eastern Colorado. 

The Chairman. How much money the past year — that is, 1913 — was 
allotted for this particular item, the inspection work as to the exist- 
ence of contagious diseases ? 

Dr. Melvin. No specific subdivision was made. The men were in 
our regular employ, but their expenses were charged to this sum of 
$620,000, but no specific subdivision has been made under that 
heading. 

The Chairman. Is the committee to understand that you carry 
this sum of $620,000 in a lump ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. And it was not subdivided in any of these branches ? 

Dr. Melvin. No, sir. 

The Chairman. Then, possibly, if you cared to do so, you could 
spend the entire amount on contagious diseases — I am speaking 
under the law ? 

Dr. Melvin. Under the law, yes; but as a matter of practice it 
would hardly be possible. 

The Chairman. But as a matter of fact it would have been legally 
possible to have spent the entire $620,000 on southern cattle, for 
example, if you chose ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. I will ask you, Doctor, to put into the record the 
amount of money that you have spent out of this lump sum during 
the present year, lyl2, tor the inspection work relative to the con- 
tagious diseases, and not only the amount but also to give a general 
itemized statement as to what diseases you have recognized and 
what work has been done under this item. 

Dr. Melvin. Put that in the record ? 

The Chairman. Yes, sir. 

Expended from the lump-fund appropriation "General expenses, Bureau of Animal 
Industry, 1912 (inspection and quarantine)," during the period between July 1, 1911, 
and June 30, 1912. 

Miscellaneous expenses in the office of the chief of the bureau l $2, 822. 78 

For the manufacture of tuberculin and mallein and the distribution of 
same to State officials, bureau officials, and other Government officials, 
for use in the work of testing cattle for tuberculosis and the testing of 

horses and mules for glanders 1, 153. 3G 

For the examination of samples of dips and disinfectants submitted by 
manufacturers, inspectors of this bureau, and other Government officials. 200. 67 

1 Includes $1,270 travel expenses of bureau officials attending meetings of U. S. Live Stock Sanitary 
Boards at Chicago and about $1,400 for supplies for general use. 



22 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

For the control and eradication of contagious diseases of animals $588, 512. 56 

For general supervision and for miscellaneous items not 
otherwise classified $8, 571. 88 

For supervising the transportation of live stock moving- 
interstate, to ascertain if the Federal quarantine regu- 
lations are complied with, and for collecting evidence 
of the violations of such regulations 2, 333. 58 

For the inspection of sheep for scabies, and for supervis- 
ing the dipping of animals so affected; also for super- 
vising the cleaning and disinfection of cars in which 
such animals have been shipped 274, 405. 45 

For the inspection of cattle for scabies and for supervis- 
ing the dipping of animals so affected; also for super- 
vising the cleaning and disinfection of cars in which 
such animals have been shipped 174 018. 44 

For the inspection of sheep affected with, or exposed to, the disease 
known as lip and leg ulceration and for supervising the area 
quarantined on account of this disease 1, 001. 45 

For the inspection and testing of cattle moving interstate for purposes 
other than immediate slaughter, in compliance with the laws of 
the States to which destined; also for the inspection and testing of 
horses and mules intended for interstate movement ' 28, 592. 42 

For supervising the movement of cattle out of the area quarantined 
for Texas fever, to markets for slaughter, and for cleaning and dis- 
infecting cars in which such animals were shipped 25. 388. 36 

For the slaughter of animals affected with dourine, and for other 
expenses incidental to cooperative work with the State of Iowa, 
in the eradication of an outbreak of such disease in that State 1, 834. 78 

For supervising the enforcement of the so-called 28-hour law and 
the collection of evidence of alleged violations thereof, in cooper- 
ation with the United States attorneys in charge of the prosecu- 
tion of such cases. 3. 033. 27 

For maintaining the animal quarantine stations at the ports of entry 

of Boston, Mass., New York, N. Y., and Baltimore, Md 10. 007. 65 

For the inspection, testing, and quarantine of animals for export and 
import along the Canadian border 25, 732. 36 

For the inspection and tuberculin testing of dairy cattle in cooper- 
ation with State and municipal officials, with a view of developing 
herds free of tuberculosis 20. 167. 61 

For the inspection and testing of animals for importation along the 
international boundary line between the United States and 
Mexico 13, 425. 31 

Total expenditures under the inspection and quarantine appro- 
priation 592.. 689. 37 

The Chairman. Now, then, taking up these tuberculin and mallein 
tests, the tuberculin test relates to tuberculosis in cattle, does it not ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. And in hogs also ? 

Dr. Melvin. Not so much. We have experimentally tested hogs 
with tuberculin, but it is not a very practical test for hogs. 

The Chairman. As a matter of fact, what activities has the depart- 
ment taken in recognizing the increase of tuberculosis in hogs '? 

Dr. Melvin. We have always felt that tuberculosis in hogs was 
primarily contracted by them from cattle, and that if tuberculosis in 
cattle was eradicated it would necessarily follow that tuberculosis of 
hogs would also cease; and we have thought that all activity along 
that line should be directed toward reducing it or eradicating it in 
cattle, rather than in hogs, on that account. 

The Chairman. As a matter of fact, would the work of your section 
indicate that tuberculosis is spreading in hogs ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes; our meat-inspection records indicate that. 



BUEEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 23 

The Chairman. And spreading quite rapidly ? 

Dr. Melvin. In about the same proportion as with cattle. 

The Chairman. And up to the present time you are acting on the 
theory that hogs contract it from cattle ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. You are therefore doing no work primarily upon 
hogs for tuberculosis, are you ? 

Dr. Melvin. No, sir. 

Mr. Sloan. But it might be contracted by one hog from another 
just as easily, might it not ? 

Dr. Melvin. It is rather doubtful. As a matter of fact, we do 
not find many so-called "generalized" cases of tuberculosis in hogs. 
The majority of them are localized cases, and I do not think the per 
cent of cases that would spread tuberculosis among hogs — that is, 
from one hog to another — are very many. 

The Chairman. Upon that question, right there, generalized 
tuberculosis is a later form of tuberculosis than local tuberculosis, 
is it not ? 

Dr. Melvin. It is a later form and indicates a general infection 
of the system of the animal. 

The Chairman. Tuberculosis ordinarily appears first in its local 
form, does it not ? 

Dr. Melvin. Usually; yes. 

The Chairman. Later on it reaches the generalized stage, does it 
not? 

Dr. Melvin. In hogs it seems to have a tendency to become local- 
ized and stay that way and not become generalized. 

The Chairman. I am not speaking about hogs now, but, in a 
general way, that represents the progress of the disease from the 
local to the generalized, does it not ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. Would the fact that hogs are butchered at a 
much younger age than cattle have anything to do with the fact 
that you find it localized more often in hogs than in cattle ? 

Dr. Melvin. It undoubtedly has considerable to do with it, but 
the condition of the lesions rather indicates that its spread within 
the animal is not continuous; that these foci became calsified; that 
these lesions in the lymphatic glands become calsified and appar- 
antly would remain in that condition unless some new infection was 
received, so that it does not seem to be as progressive a disease as 
in cattle. 

The Chairman. Do you mean by that general statement to say 
that a hog is more resistant to tuberculosis than a cow ? 

Dr. Melvin. No; I could not say that, because experimentally hogs 
become infected quite easily; but for some reason, I do not know why, 
it does not seem to have the effect of going on and continuing into a 
generalized form of tuberculosis the same as it does with cattle. 

The Chairman. Taking up the subject of mallein, what is it? 

Dr. Melvin. Mallein is a preparation prepared from glanders 
bacilli, which are afterwards filtered out of this preparation and which 
may be injected into horses, and usually when they are affected it 
will give a reaction consisting of an elevation of temperature and a 
large swelling at the place where the subcutaneous injection was made. 
It is used as a diagnostic agent only, not as a cure. 



24 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

The Chairman. To diagnose what disease? 

Dr. Melvin. Glanders. 

The Chairman. This, then, relates to glanders ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. As to what particular phase of this infection and 
quarantine work, and others that you have described, was your 
fund deficient for, or the work seemed to indicate that you needed 
more money for ? 

Dr. Melvin. Our estimate for the coming year? 

The Chairman. I am not speaking particularly about your esti- 
mate. I just want to know on what phase of it }^our work is increas- 
ing in such a way that your last appropriation was insufficient. 

Dr. Melvin. We were unable to take up tuberculosis work as much 
as we would like. We had requests from different States to assist 
them in cooperative work looking to the eradication of tuberculosis, 
and we were unable to do so on account of our funds being engaged 
in other activities; that is, to the extent to which we were called upon. 

The Chairman. Then, as a matter of fact, if you had had more 
money you would have spent more money on tuberculosis, would 
you not ? 

Dr. Melvin. We would have done that, and we would have spent 
more money on hog-cholera work. We have had many requests for 
assistance which we were unable to comply with. 

The Chairman. If you had spent more money on the hog cholera, 
would you have spent it out of this particular item ? 

Dr. Melvin. I think the general field work should come out of this 
item, although the funds which we have used heretofore have been 
spent out of the item providing for scientific investigations of dis- 
eases of animals. We think this has reached a stage where it is 
beyond the experimental stage and should be used in a practical way. 

The Chairman. If you were going to demonstrate, then, to the 
farmers the efficacy and the proper mode of serum treatment, it 
would necessarily come out of this particular item, would it not ? 

Dr. Melvin. The one for inspection of quarantine work ? 

The Chairman. No; under this lump sum of $620,000. 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. Coming to the next item, ''For all necessary 
expenses for the eradication of the southern cattle tick. 8250,000." 
is that the amount you spent this past year or this present year ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. What does that work consist of? 

Dr. Melvin. That is a cooperative piece of work with the various 
Southern States — I think ail Southern States are engaged in that 
work with the exception of Florida. We provide part of the force, the 
main force, the leading force, and the State provides what force they 
can. It consists in the systematic dipping hi an arsenical solution 
of cattle so as to rid them of these ticks, with the idea of relieving 
these sections, as soon as the ticks are eradicated, from quarantine. 
This requires a farm-to-farm campaign and the confining of cattle 
during the time it is necessary to undergo treatment. 

The Chairman. How long has this work in the eradication of the 
southern tick been under progress in your department ? 

Dr. Melvin. The first fund providing specifically for this was, I 
think, during the fiscal year of 1906. 



BUEEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 25 

The Chairman. The basis of this, as I understand it, is the dipping 
of animals ? 
- Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. And it is the dipping which kills the ticks ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. And in that way destroys them. How do the 
ticks spread from one animal to the other? 

Dr. Melvin. After the female has become fertilized by the male 
on the cow or other animal, she drops to the ground and lays her eggs 
under some grass or leaves or in some secluded place, then these eggs 
hatch out and the young animals crawl up the stalks ot the grass or 
weeds or vegetation, and when the cattle brush against them in pass- 
ing along they attach themselves to the animal and crawl up then 
legs and become attached to the skin and remain there until the time 
arrives for mating. 

The Chairman. The method of eradicating the ticks is thoroughly 
understood, is it not, Doctor ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. So there are not any new phases, it is simply the 
application of known scientific facts, is it not ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. And in that work, as I understand you, your 
department spent last year $250,000 ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. To carry this work to the individual farmers in the 
South? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. This year I see under the terms of the appropri- 
ation bill, if it goes into effect, there is an increase of $75,000 for this 
work ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. I see, as reported to the House, it is $325,000. 
This $325,000, if it should become enacted into law, will again be used 
in this work of destroying the tick, in carrying the work to the indi- 
vidual farmers, and upon the individual farms ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes. sir. 

The Chairman. How much actual money is being appropriated 
by the individual States collectively, taking all the States together ? 

Dr. Melvin. This past year I think they will spend about an equal 
amount with the Government. 

The Chairman. Take the next article, "for all necessary expenses 
for investigations and experiments in. the dairy industry, cooperative 
investigations of the dairy industry in the various States, inspection 
of renovated butter factories and markets, $177,900," is it not? 

Dr. Melvin. $177,900. We had asked an increase to $200,000 on 
that itm, which I see has not been granted by the committee. 

The Chairman. "For all necessaiy expenses for investigations and 
experiments in animal husbandry, $52,180." How much have you 
spent under that item this past year ? 

Dr. Melvin. $52,180. 

The Chairman. Will you tell us just exactly what is comprehended 
unde<* "necessary expenses foi investigations and experiments in 
animal industry " ? What line of work have you carried on under that 
appropriation ? 



26 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTKY. 

Dr. Melvin. We have an experiment station, located at Beltsville, 
Md.j where we are conducting experiments in poultry, with breeding 
of pultry and egg production and poultry feeding, and also experi- 
ments in swine; also with milk goats. We have some experiments 
under that division with some of the States in carrying on animal 
husbandry investigations. 

The Chairman. What experiments are you carrying on over there 
at your farm under poultry? 

Dr. Melvin. We have several varieties of poultry that are being- 
bred, and I think some cross-breedmg is being done. At the same 
time they are doing this they are studying methods of housing and of 
feeding to determine the best kinds of feed to use to produce the best 
birds for table and for egg production. 

The Chairman. Is your department taking up any work looking to 
the diseases of poultry ? 

Dr. Melvin. We are studying the diseases of poultry. That comes 
under another subheading. " Investigation of diseases of animals." 

The Chairman. While I am asking about it I shall ask you what 
specific work have you done, for instance, on the disease known as 
the ' ' black head " of turkeys ? 

Dr. Melvin. We did considerable work on that for several years. 

I think during the past year we have not done any work on that. 
The Chairman. Have you found any remedy for it? 

Dr. Melvin. No specific remedy except in a preventive way. 

The Chairman. What causes the disease, Doctor? 

Dr. Melvin. It is due to a low form of animal life known as 

II protozoa." 

The Chairman. It really attacks the liver of the turkey, does it 
not? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, .sir; it has another name, entero-hepatitis, indi- 
cating disease of the liver and intestines. 

The Chairman. The loss from that disease in the Middle West is 
very great, so much so that a great many farmers have been driven 
entirely out of the business of raising turkeys, and you have found no 
remedy for it, have you ? 

Dr. Melvin. No, sir. 

The Chairman. There is one point I wish to speak about in taking 
up the subject of the diseases of poultry. In diseases of poultry, as in 
diseases of swine, vast amounts of money have been spent in cures for 
cholera. People ought to be protected against that. If there is not 
any cure for cholera, fakirs ought not be allowed to go around and sell 
a little package for 50 cents, and millions and millions of dollars are 
spent for it, without question, throughout the country. You can 
not go into a western drug store but you will find a shelf full of hog 
and poultry cholera cure. 

What are the investigations you are conducting on swine over there 
at your farm ? 

Dr. Melvin. Those are a mixture of feeding and breeding experi- 
ments. Just at this time I am not familiar enough to go into it in 
detail. We have, however, taken the precaution to immunize these 
hogs with our serum and vaccine treatment: that was recently done, 
and very effectively. 

The Chairman. I understand that most of this money, then, is 
being spent on your experiment farm here in Maryland I 



BUKEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 2? 

Dr. Melvin. A greater part of it; yes. sir. 

The Chairman. Coming to the next item, "For all necessary ex- 
penses for scientific investigations in diseases of animals, including 
the maintenance and improvement of the bureau experiment station 
at Bethescla, Maryland, and the necessary alterations of buildings 
thereon, and the necessary expenses for investigations of tuberculin 
serums, antitoxins, and analogous products, $78,680." How much 
of that have you spent on that this present year ? 

Dr. Melvin. We spent all of it. 

The Chairman. Do you carry that in just a lump sum ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. And there is no division on it? 

Dr. Melvin. No, sir; no futher than this. It is very difficult to 
make any greater subdivision of that. Our hog-cholera work comes 
out of that; our study of diseases, such as blackhead in poultry, 
and other poultry diseases, comes out of that; also any swine dis- 
eases; parasitic diseases of sheep, which we have been studying — 
all of those are paid out of that fund, and from year to year they 
vary in kind and extent. Some projects will need more money one 
year and less the next, and we can use it best in that form. 

The Chairman. The Committee understands this is a sum set aside 
for the original scientific investigation into the cause of diseases and 
how to cure them ; is that right ? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. Inasmuch as you have not been studying the hog 
cholera in that form for some years, the committee understands you 
have spent no money out of this appropriation for hog cholera ? 

Dr. Melvin. We have been conducting some investigation work 
on hog cholera at our Ames farm, and what money has been spent 
has come out of this fund. 

The Chairman. How much money have you spent out of this fund 
the past year exclusively for hog cholera? 

Dr. Melvin. Approximately $12,500; $9,172.73 from "Diseases of 
animals" and $2,986.67 from "Meat inspection." 

The Chairman. How much of that $12,500 is spent for salaries 
and how much for traveling expenses ? Let us get that itemized for 
the committee. 

Dr. Melvin. I can give that amount a little more definitely. It is 
$12,159.40. 

The Chairman. Give the committee the main items under that. 

Dr. Melvin. The salaries, $5,236.67; the travel was $722.47; mis- 
cellaneous, $6,200.26. I presume that the miscellaneous item will 
include principally the cost of hogs and rental of farm and item of 
feed and items of that nature. 

The Chairman. Were any other diseases of domestic animals 
taken up by your bureau other than this on hogs this past year? 
Under this item of $70,680, the committee would like to know pre- 
cisely how much of this lump sum was spent under this first heading, 
"Diseases of animals." 

Dr. Melvin. We have spent practically all of that, as indicated, 
for those purposes. We are now studying, at quite a considerable 
expense, the effect of spoilt grains and sulphured oats upon horses, 
if any. We have some work under tuberculosis; that is, immunizing 
against tuberculosis of cattle, that we are carrying on under that 



28 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

item. The study of the nodular diseases of the intestines of sheep is 
being conducted there. The expenses of our laboratories at Washing- 
ton and at Bethesda are maintained out of this amount. 

The Chairman. How much are you spending out of this item for 
the maintenance and improvement of the Bureau of Experiment 
Station over here in Maryland? 

Dr. Melvin. The maintenance would include, of course, the help 
to take care of the animals, and we grow some forage there. We 
have not made any improvements of any considerable extent during 
the present or the past year at Bethesda. The language is carried 
from year to year in order that if we should find it necessary to put 
up a small building we might haveit, or to make some alterations to 
meet the requirements of some particular investigation, but in fact 
there have not been many alterations there or changes in the farm. 

The Chairman. I will ask you to place in the record a complete 
itemized statement of this particular item, $78,680, showing just 
precisely what it has been spent for. 

Expended from the lump-fund appropriation " General expenses, Bureau of Animal 
Industry, 1912, (diseases of animals)' 1 during the period between July 1, 1911, and 
June 30, 1912. 

For investigations and experiments in the study of animal diseases, with a 
view of developing methods for the eradication and control threof $12, 858. 20 

For experiments and investigations in the study of hog cholera, and for 
conducting experiments concerning the practical application of anti- 
hog-cholera serum for combatting hog cholera 9, 172. 73 

For experiments and investigations in cooperation m ith the Pennsylvania 

Live Stock Sanitary Board, in the study of milk hygiene 1, 387. 40 

For miscellaneous investigations and experiments in studying infectious 
animal diseases 3, 742. 55 

For investigations of the frozen and dessicated egg industries, with special 
reference to the bacterial content of the finished products and the 
sources of contamination 1, 939. 52 

For miscellaneous experiments and investigations in the study of round- 
worms, gid, and tapeworms in sheep, parasites of hogs, and measles of 
sheep and cattle, and the treatment of cattle mange 10, 245. 77 

For repairs, improvements, and general maintenance of the Experiment 
Station, Bethesda, Md.. and for conducting experiments and investiga- 
tions there, concerning the study of tuberculosis, Texas fever, and other 
diseases of animals 30, 691. 57 

Total expenditures under the appropriation for diseases of animals. . 70, 037. 74 

Mr. Sloan. Will you state, approximately, the amount of money 
appropriated by the several States for the eradication of hog cholera, 
using the serum treatment? 

Dr. Melvin. Yes; we can supply that. 

The Chairman. I will venture it as a guess, and will look it up 
more accurately, that the State of Indiana is spending more money 
on the question of hog cholera than the United States Department 
of Agriculture is, as shown by the doctor's testimony. Part of 
that, however, will probably be reimbursed by the sale of the serum 
to the farmers. 



BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 29 

States manufacturing and distributing hog-cholera serum. 
[Amount available annually.] 

Arkansas, S2,000. 

California, $8,000. 

Delaware, a very small sum from funds of live stock sanitary board, amount not 
known. 

Georgia, S5,000. 

Illinois, $22,500. 

Indiana, indefinite amount, supposed to be secured from experiment station fund 

Iowa, $2,500. 

Kansas, S3, 000 to begin work; serum distribution then self-supporting through sale 
of serum. 

Kentucky, $10,000 to 815,000. 

Maryland, $5,000 

Michigan, $15,000 to start, then self-supporting through sale of serum. 

Minnesota, $6,000, partially derived from sale of serum. 

Mississippi, $5,000. 

Nebraska, $1,500, appropriated in 1911 to be used to start the plant; serum to be 
sold at coHt. 

New York, no definite amount; meager fund available from college appropriation. 

North Carolina, $1,000. 

North Dakota, about $3,000. 

Ohio, no specific amount. May use as much as $40,000 for salaries and other 
expenses. 

Oklahoma, $3,750. 

Pennsylvania, $25,000, part of this to be used for preparation of hog-cholera serum. 

South Carolina, $1,500 from college fund. 

Texas, no information. 

Wisconsin, initial appropriation about $600. 

Missouri, about $25,000. 

South Dakota, amount not known. 

Louisiana, amount not known. 

States which do not manufacture, but which purchase and distribute serum. 

Florida, no definite amount; from public -health fund. 

Maine, amount not known. 

Vermont, no definite amount. 

Virginia, $3,000 to begin; subsequent fund derived from sale of serum. 

Total amount now being expended annually by the States exceeds $100,000. 

STATEMENT OF DR. M. DORSET, DIVISION CHIEF, BUREAU OF 

ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

Mr. Sloan. What is your position in the Bureau of Animal 
Industry? 

Dr. Dorset. Chief of the Biochemic Division. 

Mr. Sloan. How long have you been so engaged? 

Dr. Dorset. I have been in that position since 1904. 

Mr. Sloan. How long have you been connected with the Bureau 
of Animal Industry ? 

Dr. Dorset. Since 1894. 

Mr. Sloan. Have you and some of your coworkers in the Bureau 
of Animal Industry devoted time to the investigation and discovery 
and development of a serum calculated to be a preventive for hog 
cholera ? . 

Dr. Dorset. Yes, sir; that work has been going on practically ever 
since I have been in the Bureau of Animal Industry. 

Mr. Sloan. Will you state when the work was begun? Go a little 
into the history of its development, and, among other things, state 
the manner of production of this serum, just in your own way. 



30 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

Dr. Dorset. I belie Ye that the Bureau of Animal Industry began 
to study hog cholera from the time of its organization, in the early 
eighties, and as a result of those early investigations, about the year 
1 889, or possibly earlier, they discovered a germ similar to the typhoid 
germ, that they decided — the men in the bureau at that time decided — 
was the cause of the disease. This was called the hog cholera bacillus, 
and was generally accepted all .over the world as the cause of hog 
cholera. Later, at the time I entered the bureau, efforts were being- 
made to secure some sort of serum to prevent hog cholera by the 
employment of this germ, which was supposed to be the cause. 
Serums are generally prepared by inoculating animals with the 
products of the germ that causes the disease, or with the germ itself. 
In this case this hog cholera germ was being employed, and animals, 
such as horses and cattle, were inoculated, and the serum from those 
animals was drawn and used to treat hogs to prevent hog cholera 
in the field. I did a large amount of field work with that serum 
myself up until about the year 1901, possibly later than that. The 
Work at that time was under the direction of my predecessor, Dr. 
de Schweinitz. Dr. de Schweinitz about that time came to doubt 
that this so-called germ of hog cholera was the real cause of it. He 
made a good many experiments to see if he could find out the real 
cause. He thought the hog lice transmitted it. He tried to find out 
if that was so. He thought a germ like the malarial organism, in the 
blood of hogs, caused it. While these investigations were in progress, 
and before they reached positive determination, Dr. de Schweinitz 
was taken sick, first in the summer of 1903, and died later, in Febru- 
ary, 1904, at which time I succeeded him in charge of the division. 
About that time, and immediately subsequent thereto, experiments 
demonstrated that the disease is not caused by this germ that looks 
like the typhoid fever germ, at all, but that it is caused by an invisible 
organism that is so small that it passes through the finest porcelain 
filters, and is not discernible with microscopes of the highest power. 
The work of the division in that respect has been confirmed, not only 
in this country, but practically tin all foreign countries, with reference 
to the similar disease in the foreign countries. I refer to the work 
of the Imperial Board of Health in Berlin, and to the Austro-Hun- 
garian, and to the French and English authorities. 

Our ideas of the cause of the disease being thus changed, we could 
understand why we had failed in the early efforts to produce a serum, 
because we were using a thing to produce the serum that did not 
cause the disease at all. So there was begun these first attempts to 
produce a serum by the method we use now; that was begun in the 
summer of 1903, under my personal direction, Dr. de Schweinitz 
being ill at that time. That early, first experiment was inconclusive, 
so that later, in 1905, we were first able to demonstrate conclusively 
by a sufficient number of experiments that if you take a hog that 
has recovered from hog cholera, or is immune from any other cause, 
and inoculate that hog with a sufficient amount of blood taken from 
a sick hog, the effect of that injection will be to heighten the immu- 
nity of the immune so that his blood serum will contain protective 
substances in such amount that comparatively small portions of 
this treated immune serum will protect nonimmune hogs from hog 
cholera. That is the w T ay that serum was produced. I consider it 
was first definitelv and absolutely established during the summer 



BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 31 

of 1905. This being found, the serum Was patented in 1906 a pat- 
ent was taken out in my name and the rights were ned to the 
Government and to anyone in the United States to use without the 
payment of royalty, which is the common custom. 

The Chairman. At this point I should like to ask you whether 
all foreign rights were reserved ( 

Dr. Dorset. This was simply an American patent. The assign- 
ment that was made had nothing to do with the foreign right-. 

The Chairman. As a matter of fact, it is a patented article in for- 
eign countries, is it not ? 

Dr. Dorset. There have been patents taken out. 

The Chairman. Those patents are held by 

Dr. Dorset. By myself, yes, sir, the few that were taken out. 

The Chairman. Is Mr. McCabe interested with you in that patent \ 

Dr. Dorset. He is, I will say. There has been no change in it. 

The Chairman. And was at the time it was taken out ? 

Dr. Dorset. Was at the time it was taken out. 

The Chairman. At the time it was patented in foreign countries, 
both you and Mr. McCabe were both members of the Department of 
Agriculture, were you not % 

Dr. Dorset. We were; yes, sir. I will say, if the Chairman will 
allow me, that these patents in foreign countries were applied for by 
me only after I had asked the permission of the Secretary of Agricul- 
ture to make application for them. He said he considered that inas- 
much as I derived no pecuniary benefits whatever in this country, 
there should be no objection to my making application for patents 
in foreign countries. 

The Chairman. Under the rules of the Department of Agriculture, 
were you prohibited from taking out a patent here in the United 
States? 

Dr. Dorset. I do not remember what the rules were at that time. 

The Chairman. Is it not a matter of fact that an employee of the 
United States Government, working on a salary and using the public 
funds to discover a matter of public interest, that he is prevented by 
the rules of the department from becoming the exclusive owner of 
that discovery? 

Dr. Dorset. Mr. Chairman, I think that, if I am not mistaken, 
there has been since the time of this patent a law passed which makes 
such a provision. I quite agree that whether he is legally bound to do 
that or not, that he is certainly morally bound not to take private 
advantage of the discovery in the United States. 

The Chairman. I will say that I did not intend to bring this matter 
up now, although I had intended' to do so before we concluded the 
hearing, so I will ask you a question or two on that subject. Are you 
the owner of those foreign patents now ? 

Dr. Dorset. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. And you have been ever since it was patented \ 

Dr. Dorset. It was taken out in my name, all of the patent-: 
yes, sir. 

The Chairman. And are you deriving a revenue from it \ 

Dr. Dorset. No, sir; not one cent have I ever received. 

The Chairman. Was there any restriction placed upon the use of 
this serum in foreign countries on account of the fact that you hold 
this patent ? 



32 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

Dr. Dorset. I do not think so, Mr. Chairman. I must confess 
that I think the foreign patents in the countries where they were 
originally secured — and there were only a few — have all lapsed 
through failure to prosecute the work 01 producing the serum, al- 
though I am not perfectly clear as to that. I confess I do not know. 
I do not think, though, the work is being hampered in any country 
on account of these patents. 

The Chairman. Who joined with you in the application for the 
foreign patents ? 

Dr. Dorset. I understand you to mean who assisted me to finance 
the proposition ? 

The Chairman. I meant, it was taken out in your name, was it ? 

Dr. Dorset. Yes. 

The Chairman. But not in your exclusive ownership ? 

Dr. Dorset. No, sir. 

The Chairman. As you are employees of the Department of 
Agriculture, I still think it is within the province of the committee, 
but if it is not I do not wish you to answer it. Mr. Sloan will judge 
as to that. Other employees of the Department of Agriculture were 
joined with you in this work of taking out the foreign patents on this 
serum ? 

Dr. Dorset. I should like, if the Chairman will allow me, to state 
just exactly who was associated with me, because there was one 
man associated with me not connected with the department. 

The Chairman. Of course you are at perfect liberty to state who 
was associated with you, although I have no right to inquire except 
as to the members of the Department of Agriculture. 

Dr. Dorset. I am very glad indeed to make a full and free state- 
ment in regard to this, and if we do not have time for it to-day, I 
hope that I may sometime have the opportunity to give you and 
the committee the fullest information in regard to all this hog 
cholera work. I am very desirous and anxious to do it. There 
were associated with me my brother-in-law, Gilmer Meriwether, of 
Kansas City, Mo., who, according to my recollection, put up more 
than one half the money used in securing these patents. Col. S. R. 
Burch, formerly chief clerk of the Bureau of Animal Industry, put 
in $100, and I put in personally $100, and Mr. McCabe put in 

Eersonally $100. Dr. J. A. Emery was also interested. So far as I 
ave knowledge, all of that money was spent on these patents, and 
there has never been one cent of revenue from them. 

The Chairman. Your first application was for domestic patents, 
was it not ? 

Dr. Dorset. The first application was for domestic patents. 

Further hearing adjourned until 10 o'clock a. m. Fridav, Jan- 
uary 24, 1913. 



X 



BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY 

HEARINGS 

BEFORE THE 

COMMITTEE ON EXPENDITURES IN THE 
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

RELATING TO THE 

BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY 



JANUARY 24, 1913 



PART 2 



"mil? 



WASHINGTON 
< ; V E ft N M E N T PR I NT I N< J F FICE 

1913 



c or\ 



if 



D. OF D. 
MAR 20 1913 






BUREAU OF ANIMAL TNI STRY. 



Committee on Expenditures in the 

Department of Agriculture, 

House of Representatives. 
Washington, D. C, Friday, January &£, 1913. 

The committee met at 10 o'clock a. m., Hon. Ralph Moss (chair- 
man) presiding. 

Present: Representatives Hon. Ralph Moss and Hon. Charles H. 
Sloan. 

STATEMENT OF DR. MARION DORSET— Continued. 

The Chairman. Dr. Dorset, at what time do you consider that you 
began the study of the serum along the lines that finally gave you 
success ? 

Dr. Dorset. The first idea of producing serum of this sort, I find 
I have made a note of it, and it was in 1902. I can give you the exact 
date because I made it a practice to keep a notebook in which I in- 
serted what original ideas occurred to me. This one is dated No- 
vember 13, 1902. 

The Chairman. What was your position at that time ? 

Dr. Dorset. I was Assistant Chief of the Biochemic Division. 

The Chairman. Who was your immediate predecessor ? 

Dr. Dorset. Dr. E. A. de Schweinitz. 

The Chairman. You spoke yesterday in regard to the first doubt 
that the department had in regard to the course they had been taking 
on the serum matter; you said this doubt first arose in the mind of 
your predecessor. At what time did that doubt enter his mind ? 

Dr. Dorset. It is impossible for me to say now. 

The Chairman. Was it prior to this date, November 13, 1902? 

Dr. Dorset. Yes, sir; it was. That was a doubt with regard to 
the cause of the disease. 

The Chairman. But the fact of it being a doubt in regard to the 
cause of the disease finally resulted in an entirely new course of in- 
vestigation by the department, did it not? 

Dr. Dorset. Yes, sir; it did. 

The Chairman. And that new course of investigation finally led 
to the discovery? 

Dr. Dorset. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. At what date do you consider that the serum was 
perfected by the department? 

Dr. Dorset. I consider that the first time we had definite knowl- 
edge that immunity could be produced in this way was in 1905. 

The Chairman. And in the interim between 1902 and 1905 were 
you continuously employed by the Department of Agriculture ? 

75170— pt 2— 1:1 33 



34 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

Dr. Dorset. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. Did you do any work on this serum matter in an} r 
other capacity than that of an employee of the Government ? 

Dr. Dorset. No, sir; I did none. 

The Chairman. When did you make your first application for a 
patent on this process? 

Dr. Dorset. I have the original patent here. The application was 
filed February 7, 1906. 

The Chairman. That application was filed by you, was it? 

Dr. Dorset. Yes, sir; filed in my name. 

The Chairman. In making an application for the patent did you 
allege this to be an original discovery by yourself? 

Dr. Dorset. Yes, sir; I did. 

The Chairman. As an individual or as an officer of the Depart- 
ment of Agriculture? 

Dr. Dorset. I am not able to say how the application was drawn 
exactly, Mr. Chairman; the whole matter was conducted by the 
solicitor for the department, who filed the application. I do not 
know just how it was filed. 

The Chairman. You say the application was filed by Mr. McCabe ? 

Dr. Dorset. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. Mr. McCabe was at that time solicitor of the 
department, was he not? 

Dr. Dorset. He was. 

The Chairman. Was he acting in his capacity as solicitor for 
the department? 

Dr. Dorset. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. Have you a copy of the application? 

Dr. Dorset. I have a copy of the patent, which I think must be 
a copy of the application. I might correct my previous answer and 
say that I find in the patent that my declaration at the opening 
states: 

Be it known that I, Marion Dorset, a citizen and officer of the United 
States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented 
certain new and useful improvements in the manufacture of hog cholera anti- 
toxin, of which the following is a specification. 

The Chairman. In your application for a patent you applied to 
take out a patent which would cover the territory of the United 
States, did you not? 

Dr. Dorset. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. At the same time you also made applications in 
what other countries? 

Dr. Dorset. The application in foreign countries was not made 
until later. 

The Chairman. You did, however, make applications in what 
foreign countries? 

Dr. Dorset. I believe that the list that I will give you is correct. 
It is, to the best of my knowledge. The foreign countries are 
Canada, France, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, England, Ger- 
many, and Italy. 

The Chairman. Assuming that these patents for which you ap- 
plied had all been greated, would not that have given you an absolute 
monopoly of the preventative cure of hog colera, so far as the 
known world is concerned, speaking in a hog-raising sense? 



BUKEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 35 

Dr. Dorset. No; I should say it would have had no effect upon 
the United States. 

The Chairman. Did you not make an application for the United 
States? 

Dr. Dorset. Yes; but in the application for the United States it 
was provided that the invention described may be used by the Gov- 
ernment, or by any of its officers or employees in the prosecution of 
work for the Government, or by any other person in the United 
States without the payment of any royalty thereon, so that the ob- 
ject of taking out the patent in the United States was to secure its 
free use to the entire people, without the payment of any royalty, 
and to prevent the patenting of the same process by any individual 
for his private benefit. 

The Chairman. Then it was not your purpose at any time to secure 
or attempt to secure any fees of any kind from the people of the 
United States, or for a monopoly in the United States? 

Dr. Dorset. No, sir; absolutely not. 

The Chairman. You say that patent was granted? 

Dr. Dorset. It was granted with essentially the provisions I have 
just read, and the original is here. 

The Chairman. As a matter of fact, Doctor, would not a prompt 
publication of this formula by the Government of the United States 
have been effectual in preventing any other man from patenting it in 
the United States? 

Dr. Dorset. I am not familiar enough with the patent laws to 
answer, Mr. Chairman. 

The Chairman. As a matter of fact, can anyone patent that which 
he does not invent? 

Dr. Dorset. No, sir. 

The Chairman. Can he patent anything except a new and original 
idea? 

Dr. Dorset. That is my understanding. 

The Chairman. Then, as a matter of fact, if this discovery had 
been made known by the publication b}^ the United States Govern- 
ment, would it be reasonable to suppose that any other man, under 
the patent laws, could have taken out a patent? 

Dr. Dorset. I do not know. 

The Chairman. What is the regulation at the present time about 
an officer or employee of the Department of Agriculture who makes 
an original discovery while engaged in his official work in taking out 
a patent? 

Dr. Dorset. So far as I am aware, there are two circulars from the 
Secretary of Agriculture bearing upon this point. One is dated May 
8, 1905, which is a department order. Shall I file a copy of this with 
the record? This prohibits an employee of the department from 
patenting any discovery or invention which has been made through 
the expenditure of Government time and money or while connected 
with the department. I will say that the second circular from the 
department is a copy of an act of Congress approved June 25, 1910, 
which, I believe, prohibits the patenting of any device discovered or 
invented by an employee during the time of his employment or 
service. 

The Chairman. Is it your idea that those two orders, preventing 
an employee from making a patent — that if some officer of the Gov- 



36 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

eminent were to make an original discovery, as, for instance the 
hog-cholera serum, and not patent it, that it would be possible for 
some one to patent it, and thus secure a monopoly of it ? 

Dr. Dorset. I believe that was the idea when this patent was 
taken out. Now, I will tell you that the idea of patenting this process 
had never occurred to me. It did not occur to me originally, but 
my recollection — while I have no record of the fact, my recollection 
is that I received word one day, probably the latter part of 1905, 
that the Secretary desired me to patent this process. It may have 
been that the idea was to protect the people from me. I have no idea* 
what the Secretary's ideas were, but I had not thought of it up to 
that time, and, of course, I never should have applied for a patent 
as an individual, and I do not know that I would ever have thought 
of applying for it as I did finally. 

The Chairman. Do you recall who brought you that information? 

Dr. Dorset. I think, although I can not say positively, that I 
received a telephone message either from solicitor's office or from 
Dr. Melvin, the chief of the bureau. That I can not say positively. 

The Chairman. As a matter of fact, was not the patenting of it 
in the United States a first step to secure foreign patents? 

Dr. Dorset. No, sir. 

The Chairman. Do you know whether or not you could have taken 
out patents in foreign countries without first having taken them out 
in the United States? 

Dr. Dorset. I do not. 

The Chairman. Did you ever investigate that phase of it? 

Dr. Dorset. No, sir. 

The Chairman. Did Solicitor McCabe request you to give him and 
his associates permission to have this patented? 

Dr. Dorset. In the United States, do you mean? 

The Chairman. Yes. 

Dr. Dorset. No, sir. 

The Chairman. When Solicitor McCabe drew up this application 
for a patent in the United States do you know whether or not he was 
acting under orders from the Secretary? 

Dr. Dorset. I do not know. I suppose he was. That has been my 
supposition. 

The Chairman. Did you have that idea at that time? 

Dr. Dorset. Yes, sir ; I am sure I had. 

The Chairman. Did you have knowledge that a certain idea which 
originated in the Weather Bureau was sought to be patented under 
practically the same terms that this serum was patented and that it 
brought up a controversy similar to the one we are discussing? 

Dr. Dorset. No, sir. 

The Chairman. You never heard of anything of that kind ? 

Dr. Dorset. I never heard of it. 

The Chairman. You stated yesterday that the expenses of this 
application were borne jointly? 

Dr. Dorset. Yes, sir; the'expenses of the foreign patents were 
borne jointly. There was no expense in taking out the patents in the 
United States. 

The Chairman. Was there a corporation drawn up ? 

Dr. Dorset. No, sir; there were never any articles of agreement 
signed. 



BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. l\~] 

The Chairman. What was the general condition under which you 
gentlemen were contributing jointly to the expense of having these 
patents taken out? 

Dr. Dorset. The matter of taking out foreign patents, to the best 
of my recollection, was first suggested to me by my brother-in-law 
in Kansas City, who knew of the work I had done, and who knew I 
had previously patented the article in the United States, and I took 
it up first with him. He and I arranged to make application for 
foreign patents in certain countries, and he suggested to me that 1 
might be able to get patents in more countries than he was able to 
furnish the money for, if I could secure others to go in with me and 
apply for more patents in more foreign countries. That is the way 
the thing originated. I do not know whether I have fully answered 
your question or not. 

The Chairman. I do not think you have answered it. 

Dr. Dorset. I want to give 3^011 the story of how it originated. 

The Chairman. The point I wished to get at is this, that men 
rarely ever contribute money unless they expect money will be re- 
turned to them. What I wish to know is, under what agreement yon 
were acting by which people were contributing money; how the 
profits were to be divided ? 

Dr. Dorset. It was understood that I, as the inventor of the proc- 
ess, was to have one-half of the proceeds. 

The Chairman. And the other half was to be divided among the 
others ? 

Dr. Dorset. The other half was to be given to those who contrib- 
uted the money; and, as I contributed some myself, I was to share 
in that in proportion to the money I put in, in addition to my rights 
as inventor. 

The Chairman. One-half of the total profits were to come to you 
as the originator and the other half to be prorated as the proportion 
of the expenses of taking out the patents ? 

Dr. Dorset. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. Do you consider that you were, in the sense that 
it is necessary to secure a patent, the originator of this idea? 

Dr. Dorset. Yes, sir ; without question. 

The Chairman. And you consider that in your work in the De- 
partment of Agriculture you were not correlated with other men in 
any helpful degree, so that with you remains the distinctive sense or 
right of being the inventor or the originator of this idea ? 

Dr. Dorset. Mr. Chairman, there is absolutely no question that 
I originated the idea. I did have, in the department, the assistance 
of certain men, who carried out certain experiments under my direc- 
tion, but the invention was mine. 

The Chairman. What do you consider was the invention? 

Dr. Dorset. I consider the invention was the new idea that hog 
cholera could be prevented by the preparation of a serum in the 
manner I described here yesterday. 

The Chairman. That was the thing you were patenting ? 

Dr. Dorset. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. That is, the real process of making this serum? 

Dr. Dorset. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. You do not claim, do you, Doctor, that you did 
the thinking that lead up to the cause— I mean all the original think- 



38 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

ing and experimentation that lead up to the establishment of the 
cause of hog cholera and finally brought it to the point where it was 
possible to make serum? 

Dr. Dorset. I consider that I was the chief one concerned in that 
discovery. 

The Chairman. You made application for these foreign patents. 
Were the} r issued to you? 

Dr. Dorset. They were in some cases. 

The Chairman. What countries issued you patents? 

Dr. Dorset. Canada, where the patent has now lapsed. Do you 
want the present condition of the patents ? 

The Chairman. No ; I want the first countries where patents were 
issued to you. 

Dr. Dorset. Canada, France, Spain, Denmark, and I have no 
record as to Norway and SAveden. I do not know whether they did 
or not. The patents were disallowed in England, Germany, and 



The Chairman. Will you state to the committee on what grounds 
they were disallowed? 

Dr. Dorset. I regret that I am unable to do that; it was taken up 
through the patent attorneys, and I do not know. 

The Chairman. Have you transferred your interest in any of these 
patents or assigned them to any person? 

Dr. Dorset. I have not. 

The Chairman. You hold the patents in just the form they were 
issued to you, do you ? 

Dr. Dorset. They were all issued to me as an individual. 

The Chairman. And you have not transferred or assigned any 
rights to anyone in these patents? 

Dr. Dorset. No, sir. 

The Chairman. At any time have you sought, or has any person 
associated with you sought to enforce your rights as the patentee, as 
the holder of the patents, in any of these countries ? 

Dr. Dorset. No, sir; with this possible exception, that I Avas ad- 
vised — I do not now know just how — that the rights in Canada 
would lapse if work was not done before a certain date, and I then 
communicated with an acquaintance of mine in Canada and asked 
him to undertake the preparation of serum there according to this 
method, as an agent of mine, and he started to do it, but was not 
successful and never produced any serum. That is the only thing 
that has been done. 

The Chairman. Did 3^011 ever make any demand upon any person 
for the payment of royalties ? 

Dr. Dorset. No, sir. 

The Chairman. Did you ever receive any royalties? 

Dr. Dorset. I never received a cent. 

The Chairman. And with the exception of the statement you have 
made with reference to Canada, you did not attempt to protect your 
rights at any point? 

Dr. Dorset. No, sir. 

The Chairman. Did an}^ of those persons associated with you 
attempt to do so? 



BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 39 

Dr. Dorset. Not to my knowledge. I do not think they could have 
done it because the patents, as I say, stand in my name as an indi- 
vidual and they would not appear on the patents or have any connec- 
tion with them. 

The Chairman. As a matter of fact, is the serum being used in 
an}- of these countries in which these patents were issued ? 

Dr. Dorset. I can not answer positively. I do not know. It may 
be in foreign countries. 

The Chairman. So far as you know, then, none of the foreign 
countries is receiving any of the benefits of the discovery made by 
the United States? 

Dr. Dorset. I will say, Mr. Chairman, that the serum is being 
made extensively in some foreign countries, but as to those in which 
I received the patent, I do not know. 

The Chairman. Is it being used in any of those countries where 
you did not receive the patents ? 

Dr. Dorset. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. Then, as a matter of fact, those countries where 
it is patented have not used the process and those countries where 
it is not patented have been using the process. That is the statement, 
is it not ? 

Dr. Dorset. That may be correct. The cause for that, I believe, is 
owing to the prevalence of the disease and to the position and atti- 
tude of officials of the Government. In England the officials there 
seem to have felt that the method was not exactly as good as it ought 
to be, or something of that sort, so that is one country where I did 
not get a patent where they are not using it to any extent. The same 
is true in Italy, so far as my knowledge goes. 

The Chairman. Have you renounced your rights as a patentee in 
any of the countries? 

Dr. Dorset. No, sir. 

The Chairman. Have you given consent to any of the countries 
to use it without payment of royalty ? 

Dr. Dorset. No, sir. 

The Chairman. Then, so far as any rights you obtained under the 
patent, you still hold them, do you not ? 

Dr. Dorset. I believe that the patents in all countries, certainly in 
four, have lapsed and that the right to use the method is free to peo- 
ple in those countries now. 

The Chairman. If it did lapse it lapsed by termination and not by 
any affirmative action on your part, did it not ? 

Dr. Dorset. By failure on my part to conform to certain patent 
requirements in those countries — such as working the patent 

The Chairman. Did you advise the Secretary of Agriculture, your 
superior, of your purpose to take out these patents before they were 
taken out? 

Dr. Dorset. Yes, sir; I asked his permission in a letter December 
1, 1906. 

The Chairman. I shall be glad to have that letter placed in the 
record. 

Dr. Dorset. May I place a copy of it in the record and keep the 
original ? 

The Chairman. Yes; just read it. 



40 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

Dr. Dorset (reading) : 

December 1, 1906. 
The honorable the Secretary of Agriculture 

(Through Dr. A. D. Melvin, Chief Bureau of Animal Industry). 

Sir : As you are aware, I have patented a method for immunizing hogs 
from hog cholera. The rights to use this patent have been assigned to any 
person in the United States. If you have no objection I should like to patent 
this same process in foreign countries, my intention being to sell the rights or 
secure royalties on the use of this method in such countries, if it shall prove 
to be of practical value. I will probably have associated with me one or two 
other men in the attempt to secure foreign rights. It goes without saying 
rhat I will have no connection whatever with the manufacture of this material 
in the United States. 

I respectfully request that I be notified promptly whether you have any 
objection to my patenting this process in foreign countries for my personal 
benefit, in the manner outlined above. 

A r ery respectfully, (Signed) M. Dorset, 

Chief Biochemic Division. 

To which I received the following reply from the Secretaiw of 
Agriculture : 

December 4, 1906. 
Dr. Marion Dorset, 

Chief Biochemic Division, Bureau of Animal Industry. 
Dear Sir : I have received, through the Chief of the Bureau of Animal 
Industry, your application dated December 1, 1906, for permission to take out 
patents in foreign countries on the method of immunizing hogs from hog 
cholera patented by you in the United States for the public benefit. I see 
no objection to your patenting this process in foreign countries for your 
personal benefit as outlined in your letter, and have accordingly approved your 
application. 

Respectfully, (Signed) James Wilson, 

Secretary. 

I will say, Mr. Chairman, that this action of the Secretary, so 
far as I know, was not a special or individual case, but represents 
a custom of the department. There have been other men, I believe, 
in the department, who have been given similar privileges, and it 
might be well if I insert a statement recently made by the Secretary 
of Agriculture before the Committee on Agriculture of the House of 
Eepresentatives on January 4, 1913, in which he sa} 7 s, referring to 
taking out patents by department employees: 

But our department regards anything done of that kind by one of our 
scientists, to whom you are paying a salary and whose expenses you are 
paying — we expect that that discovery shall be patented in the name of that 
man for the benefit of the American people within the United States. If he 
can sell it abroad we let him do it. 

Thus indicating the general policy of the department. 

The Chairman. These are all the questions I care to ask at this 
time. 

Mr. Sloan. Touching the purpose of this patenting, is not that 
application made for and on behalf of the United States, so that the 
patent, once granted, will almost conclusively prevent the patenting 
by anybody else of substantially the same idea, or of raising a ques- 
tion of fact before the Patent Office or elsewhere as to who the dis- 
coverer of the method, substance, or appliance might be? 

Dr. Dorset. That was my understanding. 

Mr. Sloan. Then^ if as a matter of fact, the United States had 
not patented this process, but merely announced it in a general way 
and some other person should have been making investigations some- 



BUKEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 41 

what along the same lines, and should make an application before 
the Patent Department for a patent, it would lay the foundation for 
a complicated question of fact to be determined before the Patent 
Department, which would involve the taking of a lot of evidence 
and everything of that kind? 

Dr. Dorset. Yes, sir ; I think that would certainly be true. 

Mr. Sloan. I do not know whether I caught the trend of the chair- 
man's questions, but as I understand that is the purpose of taking a 
patent, either by the individual "or by the Government, to set aside 
the real discovery ; to show by whom it was made, and not to leave 
any broad question of fact unsettled that could be settled very quickly 
when the facts are fresh in the mind, and the other fellow has not the 
opportunity to be operating for a few weeks or a few months in 
manufacturing facts. 

Dr. Dorset. The sole object of taking out patents, so far as I have 
ever known, was to protect the people of the United States. Just 
how this was to be accomplished, I had not given particular thought. 

Mr. Sloan. Have you had anything to do with any of these dem- 
onstrations as to the manner of treatment through the use of serum, 
concerning which Dr. Melvin testified on yesterday? 

Dr. Dorset. I have not personally taken part in these demonstra- 
tions, but they have been under my general direction. 

Mr. Sloan. What is your opinion with regard to demonstrations 
which might be made through the various States, where the hog in- 
dustry is large, as to the probability of their value, and some sugges- 
tion as to how they ought to be carried out ? 

Dr. Dorset. In reply to that question I will say that I agree en- 
tirely with the statement of the chairman at yesterday's session that 
although we have known this serum for some time, and although a 
great many hogs have been treated with it, with varying success, that 
we are making little progress toward the eradication of the disease, 
although a great deal of money has been saved by the treatment of 
hogs in infected herds. My idea of a demonstration experiment is 
that it is a most desirable thing to carry out. 

I believe that from one to four counties should be selected as an ex- 
perimental area ; that from the States should be secured authority to 
quarantine that area; that we should have the assistance of State au- 
thorities in work in those counties, so far as possible to get it ; that the 
Bureau of Animal Industry should then place in each of these coun- 
ties one or more men to control the situation ; that these men should 
through voluntary or State agents, secure information concerning the 
number of hogs and the disease in their territory ; that immediately 
upon the outbreak of disease he should proceed and treat the infected 
herd, clean up, disinfect the premises, and probably apply serum to 
all exposed adjoining herds. I believe that at the beginning of the 
work probably much could be done by placing in this area where the 
experiment is to be conducted a lecturer of some sort, some depart- 
ment man, to give talks and explain to the farmers what was advis- 
able to be done — an educational campaign, in other words. It is my 
opinion that, following a method of that sort, the disease can be com- 
pletely controlled in the county or in a block of counties. The whole 
matter of success will depend on the organization and the funds 
available and the serum, of course, to use as needed. No such demon- 
stration as that has ever been carried out. We have worked almost 



42 BUREAU OP ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 

exclusively on individual farms or experiments to show that the 
serum will protect hogs from hog cholera. The latter fact has been 
absolutely demonstrated not only in this country but abroad, and 
we now need to go further and control the disease by linking the 
serum with an efficient organization. That is essentially my opinion 
of how the work should be carried out. 

Mr. Sloan. In what essential particular is the hog cholera propo- 
sition now different from the southern cattle-tick proposition — first, 
as to whether an efficient remedy is discovered, and, second, as to the 
manner of handling it? 

Dr. Dorset. First of all, I would say that hog cholera exists in all 
parts of the United States, no one section being free. We have an 
efficient remedy against the disease. There is little progress being 
made in eradication, although there seems to be no reason why we 
should not proceed to eradicate hog cholera in the same way that 
the Government is now cooperating with States for the eradication 
of the Texas fever. The hog-cholera work will probably be more 
difficult, and for that reason may require the expenditure of more 
funds in the end ; but there should at least be a start made, showing 
the States what can be done, so that they will then provide funds to 
cooperate with the National Government. 

Thereupon the committee adjourned. 



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